Food Tips, Tricks & Tools

SPICE GRINDER CLEAN UP Keeping your spice grinder clean can be a challenging task. Try grinding up chunks of bread into bread crumbs because they can pick up an leftover spices.from Cook’s Country, Nov 2012

SIFTING FLOUR As a kid I was shown how to sift flour and what a difference it can make if you measure the flour while it is compacted. These days I do take a shortcut with no apparent difference. I stir up the flour with a fork and scoop it out.submitted by Linda S.

BAKING TIPS: READ THE RECIPE Thoroughly read through the recipe from start to finish and then read it again to make sure you understand the procedure. Baking is as much a science as an art, so to prevent disastrous results, avoid substituting ingredients.from Best-Ever Cakes, Pies & Moresubmitted by C.J., Food Stories

BAKING TIPS: MARK YOUR PANS Use a black permanent marker to mark the volume on the bottom of cake pans. To determine the volume, fill the pan with water up to 1/4 inch of the rim and then pour the water into a glass liquid measuring cup. If the pan is new, just mark the pan with the volume measurement from the package.from Best-Ever Cakes, Pies & Moresubmitted by C.J., Food Stories

BAKING TIPS: TRACK BAKING TIMES When trying out new cookie recipes, I always have to tweak the baking times to get it right for my oven. I bake in small batches and then try different temp/times. So I won’t get confused, I write the time/temp on the parchment paper of each pan as they come out of the oven. That way, after they’ve cooled or been moved, I can always see which time/temp combo worked the best.submitted by C.J., Food Stories

PEELING FRESH FAVA BEANS Add about a Tbsp of baking soda to a quart of vigorously boiling water, and throw in the beans. Fish them out as they pop their skins so they don’t pick up the soda soapiness, and drop them in a bowl of cold water to rinse. After two or three minutes, scoop the remainder into another bowl of water to cool them down. Peel them by gently squeezing on the thick end of the bean, if necessary nicking the thin end with your fingernails.from Curious Cooksubmitted by C.J., Food Stories

BAKING TIPS: MEASURE FLOUR PROPERLY Spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, then sweep off the excess with a knife. Don’t scoop it directly from the bag with a measuring cup; the flour will be compacted, and you’ll get more than you need for the recipe.from Easy, Delicious Home Cooking, Spring/Summer 2012submitted by C.J., Food Stories

BAKING TIPS: AVOID USING COLD EGGS Most people know to bring butter to room temperature but it’s just as important for eggs-otherwise, the mixture won’t emulsify properly. If you’re short on time, microwave cut up butter on low in 5-second intervals, checking in between, and place eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes.from Easy, Delicious Home Cooking, Spring/Summer 2012submitted by C.J., Food Stories

BAKING TIPS: USE A PASTRY BRUSH FOR BUTTERING THE PAN You’ll get better coverage than with a piece of butter in paper. Simply wipe the brush over a tablespoon of very soft butter, then onto the pan.from Easy, Delicious Home Cooking, Spring/Summer 2012submitted by C.J., Food Stories

BAKING TIPS: COOL CAKES UPSIDE DOWN This will flatten out the tops, creating easy-to-stack disks for layer cakes. If the top of the cake is still too rounded, slice it off with a serrated knife.from Easy, Delicious Home Cooking, Spring/Summer 2012submitted by C.J., Food Stories

BAKING TIPS: CENTER THE PANS If your oven isn’t wide enough to position pans side by side without their touching each other or the walls, place them on different racks (as close to the center as possible) and slightly offset, to allow for air circulation.from Easy, Delicious Home Cooking, Spring/Summer 2012submitted by C.J., Food Stories

BAKING TIPS: ROTATE THE PANS DURING BAKING This will ensure even cooking but wait until the cake is set (about 2/3 of the way through cooking time) to prevent collapse. If you’re using more than one oven rack, this is also the time to swap the pans.from Easy, Delicious Home Cooking, Spring/Summer 2012submitted by C.J., Food Stories

HOW TO COOK PERFECT PASTA 1) Start with the best pasta you can find. 2) Use ample water for boiling. 3) Salt the water well. 4) Do not add oil to the water. 5) Stir the pasta after a minute or so of cooking. 6) Take the pasta off the heat just before it reaches al dente. 7) Reserve some of the pasta cooking water to add to your sauce. 8) Toss hot pasta with sauce quickly.from Pasta by La Cucina Italianasubmitted by C.J., Food Stories

HOW TO WARM TORTILLAS 1) Place tortillas over the medium flame of a gas burner until slightly charred, about 30 seconds per side. 2) You can also toast in a dry skillet until softened & speckled with brown spots, 20-30 seconds per side. 3) Wrap a stack of tortillas in aluminum fool and heat in a 350 oven for 5 minutes. 4) Keep warmed tortillas wrapped in foil or a dish towel until ready to use or they will dry out.from Cook’s Illustrated Mexican Favoritessubmitted by C.J., Food Stories

CHECK THE DONENESS OF FISH For fillets, insert a fork at an angle into the thickest portion of the fish and gently part the meat. When it is opaque and flakes into sections, it is cooked completely. Whole fish or steaks are done when the flesh is opaque and is easily removed from the bones. The juices in cooked fish are milky white.from Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbooksubmitted by C.J., Food Stories

PEELING PEACHES The best way to peel a peach is to submerge them in boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove to a water bath and then they easily slip out of their skins.from Eliot’s Eatssubmitted by Debra, Eliot’s Eats

HOW TO CHOOSE PEPPERS Peppers with 3 BUMPS on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating raw. Peppers with 4 BUMPS on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.from My Organized Chaossubmitted by C.J., Food Stories

HOW TO FREEZE EGGS 1) Select the freshest eggs that you can. 2) You can freeze yolks and whites separately, or together. 3) Crack as many eggs as you wish into a freezer safe container (eggs cannot be frozen in the shell since they will expand and break). 4) GENTLY stir the yolks and whites together. Try not to beat a lot of extra air into the mixture. 5) *Optional Step* Add 1/2 teaspoon of honey OR salt to each cup of whole eggs. This is said to help to stabilize the yolk after thawing. 6) Label and freeze for up to 6 months. 7) When you are ready to use your eggs, allow them to thaw in the fridge 8) 3 Tablespoons of the egg mixture = 1 egg in recipes.from Prairie Homesteadsubmitted by C.J., Food Stories

TEA MAKING TIP Tea Time Magazine suggests the following as a beginning guide, and then experiment … Black tea: 4 to 5 minutes at 212° … Oolong tea: 4 to 7 minutes at 195° to 210° … Green or white tea: 2 to 5 minutes at 165° to 175°submitted by C.J., Food Stories

FOR A GREAT CUP OF COFFEE … Warm it Up. In coffee shops, cups are kept warm on top of the espresso machine. At home you can fill your coffee cup with boiling water for a couple of minutes before pouring your cup of joe. Imbibe magazine reports that this this will extend your cups heat by at least ten minutes.submitted by C.J., Food Stories

BROWNIE BAKING TIP When it comes to baking, brownies live outside the “toothpick test” rule that signals the doneness of other baked goods (like cakes and quickbreads). Once a brownie releases a clean toothpick, it’s gone too far. The trick is to time the baking so that the top firms up just enough to seal the molten middle.from Mark Bittmansubmitted by C.J., Food Stories

PRETTY SUGAR COOKIES As your sugar cookies come from the oven, brush lightly with corn syrup and sprinkle with your favorite flavor of gelatin right from the box. They’ll sparkle!from Taste of Home Cookies 2012submitted by C.J., Food Stories

HEAVY CREAM REVALATION ” … When you get whipping cream that is NOT ultrapasturized, have you noticed that at the end there are big semi solid blobs in it sometimes? I have at times thought that meant the cream was turning bad…I have realized that in fact this is just separated out HEAVIER cream, like either clotted cream in Britain or mascarpone in Italy. There is more of it clinging to the inside of the carton too. it is fantastic, the best part of the whole cream. tossing the carton without breaking it open to remove this thick cream spread is a crime! LOL try it.”from Low Carb Friendssubmitted by C.J., Food Stories

OIL & VINEGAR RATIO According to the Culinary Institute of America, the perfect ratio for vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part acid.C.J., Food Stories

What do you think?

CJ… I just wanted to personally thank you for thinking enough of my blog to have nominated it/me for your Illuminating Blogger Award… I am truly humbled. I know that some people may not participate in these and maybe think they’re silly… however.. I feel if someone thinks enough and takes the time to nominate me… we thank you for the honor. {in the middle of a challenge and will participate soon.} Blessings to you and yours… Carla of carlabarilakaram.com/humblegratitudeCarla Barilá Karam recently posted … Day 89 of My Gratitude Journal…

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Food Holidays

May 1: National Chocolate Parfait Day
May 2: National Truffles Day
May 3: National Raspberry Tart Day
May 4: National Homebrew Day
May 4: National Orange Juice Day
May 4: National Candied Orange Peel Day
May 5: National Chocolate Custard Day
May 5: Cinco de Mayo
May 5: National Hoagie Day
May 6: National Crêpes Suzette Day
May 6: International No Diet Day
May 7: National Roast Leg of Lamb Day
May 8 National Coconut Cream Pie Day
May 8: National Empanada Day
May 8: Have A Coke Day
May 9: National Butterscotch Brownie Day
May 9: National Moscato Day
May 10: National Shrimp Day
May 11: Eat What You Want Day
May 12: National Nutty Fudge Day
May 13 National Apple Pie Day
May 13: National Fruit Cocktail Day
May 14: National Buttermilk Biscuit Day
May 15: National Chocolate Chip Day
May 16: National Coquilles St. Jacques Day
May 17: National Cherry Cobbler Day
May 18: National Cheese Soufflé Day
May 19: National Devil’s Food Cake Day
May 19: World Baking Day
May 20: National Quiche Lorraine Day
May 20: Pick Strawberries Day
May 21: National Strawberries and Cream Day
May 22: National Vanilla Pudding Day
May 23: National Taffy Day
May 24: National Escargot Day
May 25: National Brown-Bag-It Day
May 25: National Wine Day
May 26: National Blueberry Cheesecake Day
May 26: National Cherry Dessert Day
May 27: National Grape Popsicle Day
May 28: National Brisket Day
May 28: National Hamburger Day
May 29: National Coq Au Vin Day
May 30: National Mint Julep Day
May 31: National Macaroon Day